Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1507822
10 PCB007 MAGAZINE I SEPTEMBER 2023 Panasonic's Darren Hitchcock spoke with the I-Connect007 Editorial Team on the com- plexities of moving toward ultra HDI manu- facturing. As we learn in this conversation, the number of shiing constraints relative to tra- ditional PCB fabrication is quite large and can sometimes conflict with each other. Barry Matties: Darren, I recently watched your presentation 1 about the demands on material—resin, weave, surface, etc.—to meet the demands of higher density, finer features. What was your message to your audience regarding the state of the industry for materi- als in HDI and UHDI? In that presentation, I covered some of the changes like glass style and the composition of the glass. For the longest time, we've had E-glass, which is, of course, the cost-effective option. But as electrical performance require- ments have increased, we've seen more de- mand for low-Dk and ultra-low Dk glass. e increased trends toward these glass types mean improving availability and cost; as the electrical performance benefits are also decision factors. I also drilled down on copper. e demand for smoother copper is increasing, which af- fects the industry standards. I'm involved in the IPC committee for copper and the com- mittee for glass reinforcement. I chair the The Drive Toward UHDI and Substrates Feature Interview by the I-Connect007 Editorial Team